Syria’s Sunni Rebels Besiege Shi’ite Villages

Underscoring the increasingly sectarian nature of the Syrian Civil War, we get news today of the villages of Zahraa and Nubl, two Shi’ite dominated villages in the Aleppo region, both of which are completely surrounded by Sunni rebels.

An estimated 35,000 villagers are trapped in the villages with no chance of escape, with rebel snipers gunning down anyone who tries to leave. The rebels claim that the villages were housing “pro-regime gunmen.”

In theory Syria is a secular state, but with the leadership mostly made up of Shi’ites, the rebels have attracted a following of foreign Sunni Islamist factions, and some regional Shi’ites have flocked to Syria to fight against them.

What this means in the long run for Syria remains to be seen, but years of bloody violence in religiously split Iraq eventually forced minorities out of integrated districts and left the nation a patchwork of refugees on both sides. In the long run, sectarian tensions may also mean Shi’ite villages in a Sunni dominated portion of Syria are no longer sustainable.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz, you're such a "DITZ", you make it seem in this article as if the whole rebellion is foreign. You're a moron. The whole country is pretty much sunni and they are being oppressed for decades by the shias you fool and now they are taking what is theirs and the SUNNIS are the ones being massacred here, and you are victimizing the shias, you're pathetic, filthy human being you are

Baz

Sam,
It sounds like you are in need of some serious meds. Lithium, Prozac, etc

CanuckBC

RE: " increasingly sectarian nature of the Syrian Civil War"

Jason, there was never any doubt that Syrian Civil war was a sectarian thing. Saudi Arabia. Quatar and Turkey – main Arab or in case of Turkey Muslim sponsors of "rebels" are of Sunni family of Muslims, who just welcomed with enthusiasm US and Israel goal to weaken Iran influence in Middle East. Saudi Arabia was at least to my knowledge successfully supporting "Muslims" of Bosnia and Kosovo.

What will be done if "rebels" in Syria start to massacre people in their "liberated" territories of Syria. Is this a pre-planned provocation to get Iran involved and then punish this country for their help for their Shiite brethren in Syria?

Ben_C

Question # 1: What is a "Kurd"?

Are all "Kurds" Muslim?

If so, are all "Kurds" 'Sunni' or 'Shia' Muslim?

If not, what 'religion' do the "Kurds" represent in the 'Middle East'?

Question # 2: If the US federal government were to "fall' (along with the associated state and local "governments"), who would win out in the US and gain "control" in the "taking what is theirs"–as "Sam" puts it:

A) The "Bloods"
B) The "Crips"
C) The "MS 13"
D) The "Aryan Brotherhood"
E) The " Hells Angels"
F) The "Free State Project"
G) The "Democrats"
H) The "Republicans"
I) The "Libertarians"
J) The "Project For A New American Century"
K) The "Neo-Cons"
L) The "Communists"
M) The "Liberals"
N) The "Conservatives"
O) The "Centrists"
P) The "AIPAC"
Q) The "AARP"
R) The "NAACP"
S) The "NRA"
T) The "AFLCIO"
U) The "Christian Coalition of America"
V) The "NARAL"
W) The "Cato Institute"
X) The "Brookings Institute"
Y) The "Heritage Foundation"
Z) The Nation of "Mexico"
1) The Nation of "Canada"
2) The "NATO"
3) The "Arab League"
4) The 'Mullahs' of the "Islamic Republic of Iran"
5) The 'Brutal' "Assad Regime" of the Nation of "Syria"
6) The ex-'Soviet-Communist' KGB agent Vladimir Putin of the Nation of "Russia"
7) The Red "China"
8) The "Al Qaeda"
9) The "John Glaser"
10) The "Jason Ditz"
*) None of the above….

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"Politics" is complicated…..it's no different anywhere in the world…

The "sectarian violence" is not something the "regime" currently in control of the Nation of "Syria" is directly involved in…nor is it in the Syrian Government's "interest" to be endorsing such "violence" inside of its own boarders (nor is there a "history" of the current "regime" doing so)…

Baz

The conflict in Syria is neither a sectarian nor civil war. It is a proxy war between the USA, ksa, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait against Iran. That is the fact. We cannot strike Iran directly so we are hitting them where they are weak. If Ian wins in Syria, then the al Qaeda axis (of which we are the current ring leader) will be on a major defensive and could lead to direct war with iran

mojo

Travel to Germany, look at the flights that are bound for Istanbul, you will see who is flying with Turkish Airline to Istanbul, they tell you who they are and they look like who they are and why they are traveling to Istanbul, Germans and other nationals heading to Istanbul and there is no doubt in any ones mind why they are traveling to Istanbul. One thing for sure they don't look like German or French tourist.